For the first time ever, members of the European Parliament’s Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) and the European Committee of the Regions’ Commission for the Environment, Climate Change and Energy (ENVE) came together in a joint meeting to strengthen cooperation between the two institutions on climate resilience and adaptation. The high-level exchange, held in the European Parliament, focused on how regions and cities are leading the transition toward climate resilience and implementing the European Green Deal on the ground.
Opening the meeting, Kostas Bakoyannis, Chair of the ENVE Commission, underlined the importance of this unprecedented institutional cooperation: “Now more than ever, Europe’s credibility is in danger. With overlapping crises affecting the daily lives of our citizens, from Brussels we need to provide instruments and policies that work for the real world. This is the common goal we share as institutions — with you in the Parliament representing citizens in the EU legislative process, and us giving voice to more than one million local European politicians who face practical challenges every day.”
He called for closer collaboration between the European, national, and local levels to make EU legislation “reality-proof” and to ensure that adaptation efforts deliver tangible benefits for people: “Adaptation to climate change is an area where we urgently need all hands-on deck and where the local level plays a critical role. Strengthening adaptation and building resilience is essential for our citizens across the Union.”
Hanna Zdanowska, Mayor of Łódź and a CoR rapporteur on Action Plan for Affordable Energy – how to secure affordable, stable and clean energy for all EU cities and regions, stressed the critical role of local authorities in turning policy into action: “The work we do has a direct impact through our daily contact with residents — shaping how we perceive change and how we engage in making it happen. That is why I am so pleased that we are holding this first meeting, which I hope will be followed by many more.”
She emphasised that while local and regional leaders do not make laws, they are indispensable partners in implementing them: “We do not claim the right to make laws, but because most of the decisions taken by the European Parliament and the European Commission are ultimately implemented at the local level, it is essential that, during the legislative process, these decisions are discussed and consulted with us as broadly as possible.”
“Our main task is to be true partners to our citizens. When we are included in the law-making process from the start — when we understand the reasoning behind decisions and can share what is truly feasible — we can deliver better and faster results for people.” she concluded.
Vlasta Kremlj, Mayor of the Municipality of Selnica ob Dravi, reminded participants that climate adaptation is vital for rural communities: “For us, this is truly a question of existence — everything we do is about preserving our remaining rural areas. Our rural municipalities already have experience in adapting to climate change, and I believe this makes us valuable partners for the European Parliament and the Commission.”
She highlighted local initiatives demonstrating practical commitment to sustainability. “In my municipality, we have supported the construction of an environmentally friendly kindergarten and invested in renewable energy projects, in line with the principles of the New European Bauhaus. We are also developing examples of best practices in forest management and preparing to expand sustainable forest governance.” she added.
Shared Commitment to Climate Resilience
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment from both institutions to reinforce cooperation on environmental and climate policies. Both sides agreed that the success of Europe’s green transition depends on ensuring that local and regional authorities are fully involved from the outset of policy design to implementation. “This first ENVI–ENVE meeting has proven the importance of working closer together and joining forces in a more structured manner. My wish is that this meeting becomes a recurrent discussion we can organise every year.” said Kostas Bakoyannis in his closing remarks.